New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-04
COOPERATION IN FRANCE.
MAcHIN1srs SEEN NC GOVERNMENT AID.
WHAT Mr.. DELAHAYE Has TO SAY ABOUT LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.

WHAT Mr. DELAHAYE Has TO SAY ABOUT LABoh
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.
Victor Delahaye, representing tho Paris Machinists
Union and member OF the Municipal Council oil faris'
arrived In tho city yesterday after an extended tour
through the manufacturing centres of the country Mr.
Deahaye was appointed by his union to come to this
country and make thorough Investigation OF the
machinery used In textile manufactures. more parto'-
larry In cotton and woolen goods with view OF pur-
chasing the patont rights for the manufacture OF such
machinery In France. In order to make his Journey
official NJ Loclroy, that time Minister OF Commerce,
made him Government Commissioner and his ex
penses are betrayed by the French Government.
The Machinists Union has asked from the Government
loan of 100000 francs to establish plant for the
manufacture of the machinery mentioned There -
imported into France every year machinery vauea at
20 1000 900 francs coming principally from England
would establish the necessary plant Tor the man
ufacture of all this about 24.000.OOO francs ino
macbnsts belieye that this machinery be produced
I'm France as well and cheapy under the cooperative
system as it DO produced abroad; ana tney u"'e
asked the Government as an experiment 10 ehaoie e
to make one fourth of IT, The loan has been promised
Mr. Delahaye, explaining the scheme SAID yesterday
to TRIBUNE reporter Up to thirty years ago France
manufactured most Of her machinery but under the
press of foreign competition notably thai or PAU
Brothers Of oldham in England, the industry mas IAN
gushed The bosses unable to compete with theif
foreign rivals: and without Government aid' CO.
cable. In q big machine shop with the modern appl
apceS there are 25 worth of tools Tor each
workman employed. II Is manifestly impossioie Ior
workmen to save this amount from their scanty earn
ings We propose to pay back the loan with interest III
sixty annual instruments II tho experiment Is success
fu-and have no doubt that 1t will be-we shall ask the
Government for additional loan OF lsOoOOoo francs
80 that VIC may manufacture all Of our machinery.
~ find that In many respects England Is ahead OF
America in textile machinery. l have visited over loo
mills and factories in various parts OF the country ana
have no doubt that shall purchase extensively OF
American patents. The enterprise will be entirely In Tue
Machnists' Union, with a Governmental SUPERVISION
however, until the loan is paid OIL
Mr. Delahaye also instructed 10 ipVcsugate tnc
relations between and capital in this country ana
the state OF organization among workn9f{maenh ont
America With this end in view he has ylstea
throughout the country and has had long
with the officers OF the American Federation OF Laool
tons in this line he says: find that labor and capital
here in Europe antagohsS ana tI ay,
approaching the state Of affairs in France where there
has Sssn @ hsa % TeSoons of 1890 M
1871; and unless promised reforms are gwen US so
Moth sides preparng for the inevitable struggle The
workmen the necessity for orgamSaIioh anu are Ee
ting closer and closer together WHILE on the other hand
| the bosses also organizing. A., -, $40 =,
There are however. many things which lead me to
believe that the solution OF the trouble here VIII De
peaooable one In the first place the American w9fx
men especially those born In this country are better
educated than the class OF men In Europe anl art
consequently better prepared to act IN an emergency
Then there Is your decennal census which SHOWS hhl
ematically the relative positions of labor ana capt
There are seventeen States which have state iiesu
OF Labor Statistics. which show every year Just wu'
this position is For instance. the last Naton cesus
showed the daily rate OF wages ior echan
lea was less than So when should have Deen nearer
So These matters studied ana known ~ tne
American workmen, and this fact Will go fnr TOWARD
making solution OF the labor question III THIS country
| peaceable - -. 49,. ..o..
nearly on line With the English trades unions hai
with the Continental organizations Ihs 10 natural lol
In France it is only since 1884 that trades unions
been permitted TO have any legal existence Inc oon
vention of 1871 strictly prohibited them. We wer.
more of political and social reform phase than they
| perhaps otherwise would have done. This law was 10
peaed in 1884, and since then The open unions nave
| begun TO develop , lido, =,
we hold that we are In n state OF transition In
the Middle Ages and up TO tho time OF the general INTRO
duction OF machinery In industrial pursuits TIE work
man owned his toolsin other words cnpital ana apo
were in the hands and thore were no middlelnei
In the future, through cooperation the same STATE VI
| affairs will be brought about practically We are
divided into schools as 10 Low this sial ne drought
about one school, the followers OF Blan1ui believe
that il can only brought about BY ply force ane
fgbtfng: the other believes that the solution may De
! nesceabe one, through Governmental AID 10 co
| operative enterprises such as We propose a,
Mr. Delahaye will remain In the city. examining tno
WORKING of the various mills and trades unions, until
| Saturday, when he will sail for Hayre.